CARY, N.C. — San Diego baseball’s Austin Smith has been named to the preseason watch list for the Golden Spikes Award presented by Chinook Seedery, beginning the process of identifying the best amateur baseball player in the nation for the 2025 season. USA Baseball made the announcement on Friday afternoon.
The preseason list includes 55 players across high school and college baseball. The Golden Spikes Advisory Board will maintain the award’s watch list on a rolling basis, allowing athletes to play themselves into consideration for the award based on in-season performance.
Smith, a senior left-handed pitcher, outfielder, and designated hitter, received 2025 D1Baseball and NCBWA Preseason Second Team All-American honors after a singular performance in 2024 that saw him excel on both sides of the ball. He posted a 7-0 record, three saves, a 3.49 ERA, and 49 strikeouts across 56.2 innings pitched, eight relief appearances, and nine starts while batting .314 (64-for-204) with 42 runs scored, 11 doubles, seven home runs, 39 RBIs, and 13 hit by pitches as he slugged .471 and got on base at a .429 clip.
In addition to his selection to the Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List, he was also named the 2025 D1Baseball WCC Preseason Player of the Year and to the 2025 WCC Baseball Preseason Team.
Smith’s 2024 accolades included being named a 2024 Third-Team All-American by both the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the American Baseball Coaches Association, a finalist for the 2024 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, a semifinalist for the 2024 Dick Howser Trophy, to the 2024 All-WCC First Team, and a 2024 San Diego Sports Association Amateur Star of the Year.
USD Athletics Hall of Famer Kris Bryant is the lone Torero to have won the Golden Spikes Award, taking home the honor in 2013 after leading the nation with 31 home runs.
To stay up to date on the 2025 Golden Spikes Award, visit GoldenSpikesAward.com and follow @USAGoldenSpikes on Instagram and Twitter/X.
About the Golden Spikes Award
Since 1978, USA Baseball has honored the top amateur baseball player in the country with the Golden Spikes Award. The award goes to the amateur baseball player who exhibits exceptional athletic ability and exemplary sportsmanship. The 2024 Golden Spikes Award winner was Charlie Condon from the University of Georgia. Winners of this prestigious award from the past 20 years include Major League Baseball All-Stars such as Adley Rutschman (’19), Andrew Benintendi (’15), Kris Bryant (’13), Mike Zunino (’12), Trevor Bauer (’11), Bryce Harper (’10), Stephen Strasburg (’09), Buster Posey (’08), David Price (’07), Tim Lincecum (’06), Alex Gordon (’05), and Jered Weaver (’04). Fans can follow the Golden Spikes Award on Instagram and Twitter @USAGoldenSpikes.
A complete list of the 55-player 2025 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List is as follows:
Name – School – Year – Position – Conference
- Ben Abeldt – TCU – JR – LHP – Big 12
- Wehiwa Aloy – Arkansas – JR – SS – SEC
- Jamie Arnold – Florida State – JR – LHP – ACC
- Aiva Arquette – Oregon State – JR – SS – Pac 12
- RJ Austin – Vanderbilt – JR – UTL – SEC
- Max Belyeu – Texas – JR – OF – SEC
- Evan Blanco – Virginia – JR – LHP – ACC
- Caden Bodine – Coastal Carolina – JR – C – Sun Belt
- Tyler Bremner – UC Santa Barbara – JR – RHP – Big West
- Brooks Bryan – Troy – JR – C – Sun Belt
- Drew Burress – Georgia Tech – SO – OF – ACC
- Easton Carmichael – Oklahoma – JR – C – SEC
- Eric Colaco – Denison (DIII) – SR – OF – NCAC
- Brandon Compton – Arizona State – R-SO – OF – Big 12
- Cam Cannarella – Clemson – JR – OF – ACC
- Ethan Conrad – Wake Forest -JR – OF – ACC
- Kayson Cunningham – Johnson HS (TX) – SR – SS
- Dean Curley – Tennessee – SO – SS – SEC
- Daniel Cuvet – Miami – SO – 3B – ACC
- Jason DeCaro – North Carolina – SO – RHP – ACC
- Harrison Didawick – Virginia – JR – OF – ACC
- Nick Dumesnil – Cal Baptist – JR – OF – WAC
- Jalin Flores – Texas – JR – INF – SEC
- Henry Ford – Virginia – SO – 1B – ACC
- Gabe Gaeckle – Arkansas – SO – RHP – SEC
- AJ Gracia – Duke – SO – OF – ACC
- Gavin Grahovac – Texas A&M – SO – UTL – SEC
- Grayson Grinsell – Oregon – JR – LHP – Big Ten
- Seth Hernandez – Corona HS (CA) – SR – RHP/INF
- Ethan Holliday – Stillwater HS (OK) – SR – INF
- Marek Houston – Wake Forest – JR – SS – ACC
- Ike Irish – Auburn – JR – C – SEC
- Ben Jacobs – Arizona State – JR – LHP – Big 12
- Kyle Johnson – Duke – SO – UTL – ACC
- Jared Jones – LSU – JR – 1B – SEC
- Alex Lane – Northeastern – GR – 1B/OF – CAA
- Jace LaViolette – Texas A&M – JR – OF – SEC
- Justin Lebron – Alabama – SO – SS – SEC
- Anthony Martinez – UC Irvine – JR – 1B – Big West
- Mason McConnaughey – Nebraska – JR – RHP – Big Ten
- Ethan Petry – South Carolina – JR – OF – SEC
- Tre Phelps – Georgia – SO – INF – SEC
- Dennis Pierce – East Stroudsburg (DII) – S-SR – UTL – PSAC
- Ryan Prager – Texas A&M – R-JR – LHP – SEC
- Zion Rose – Louisville – SO – OF – ACC
- Nolan Schubart – Oklahoma State – JR – OF – Big 12
- Austin Smith – San Diego – SR – LHP/OF/DH – West Coast
- Kolten Smith – Georgia – JR – RHP – SEC
- Luke Stevenson – North Carolina – SO – C – ACC
- Brendan Summerhill – Arizona – JR – OF – Big 12
- Devin Taylor – Indiana – JR – OF – Big Ten
- Tanner Thach – UNCW – JR – 1B – CAA
- Gavin Turley – Oregon State – JR – OF – Pac 12
- Kyle Walker – Arizona State – R-JR – 2B – Big 12
- Kyson Witherspoon – Oklahoma – JR – RHP – SEC
The Toreros will begin their 2025 schedule on Friday, February 14, when they host No. 23 TCU at Fowler Park. First pitch against the Horned Frogs in the season opener is set for 6:00 p.m.
